Moonee Valley Winner Bantam Targets 2015 Blue Diamond

Two-year-old colt Bantam won his maiden on Saturday in the ADAPT Australia Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley and will now be aimed towards the $1 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28.

The colt did well to win Saturday’s race, which was ultimately a three-way photo finish, ahead of Miss Idyllic and Tiffany Cash Man.

Bantam was $3.70 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au to win the 2014 ADAPT Australia Handicap but the heavily backed Miss Idyllic wasn’t far off at $3.80. The favourite successfully fought off a determined challenge from the filly, winning by just a short head-neck with Tiffany Cash Man another short head-neck off in third.

Hoop Chad Schofield was pleased with the win, considering Bantam was bumped more than once by Miss Idyllic. He noted that if the photo had gone against him he would have raised a protest. The trainer also claims the win was softer than it appeared on TV.

“Although we only one by a small margin the win was softer than it looked,” Schofield told TVN.

“We got driven mad by a few out wide, but once the race sorted itself out he came back on the bridle.

“It was a better win than it may have looked on TV.”

David Charles, stable foreman for Bantam’s trainer John O’Shea, noted the colt had plenty of talent which could shine in the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes.

“He was strong on the line and he had no peace and the second horse had the sit on him. I thought it was a good, strong win,” Charles said.

Bantam will now head to the spelling paddock for a short break before returning in either the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (1000m) in January or the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) on February 14 before the main event at the end of the month.

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